Pea spends the day with her father, a lifelong fisherman she calls "the Charles Bronson of the Philippines," tagging along on his daily fishing run. The video is a lighthearted vlog showing the full experience: paddling a small outrigger boat down a muddy, trash-filled river to the ocean, hand-line fishing for grouper, and bringing the catch home. Along the way, Pea captures the economics and realities of fishing as a livelihood in the Philippines.
The boat and gear
- They use a "carig" — a small outrigger canoe with bamboo stabilizers tied to both sides to prevent tipping
- The boat accommodates about three people depending on weight
- Essential gear: an ice box for the catch and drinking water, hand fishing line with hooks, tiny shrimp for bait, and a paddle — no rod, no reel, no motor
- Pea gets the smaller "baby paddle"
The river journey to the ocean
- They paddle about a kilometer (Pea suspects more) down a river to reach open water
- The river is muddy from overnight rain, with a strong current
- The river is full of garbage — trash floating everywhere, and Pea spots a sewer line emptying into it
- She spots a dead cat in the water: "they throw everything in the river"
- She also notices nipa leaves and bamboo along the banks — joking that "you have everything here to build a house"
- She compares the canal-like sections to Venice
The fishing itself
- They need to reach water at least 20-25 feet deep before they can start catching fish
- No life jackets — but both Pea and her dad can swim
- Target fish: "tagaropo" or grouper
- Technique: bait the tiny hook with shrimp (covering the hook completely), drop the line, and wait for a bite — purely by feel through the hand line
- Pea's dad says you need a "special sense of touch" to detect a fish on the line — Pea compares this to dating a Filipina: "you have to be very observant to know if she's biting"
- Pea catches her first fish and is simultaneously excited and apologetic: "I'm sorry Mr. Fishy, you didn't even finish your shrimpy"
- She doesn't like the sliminess or the idea of hurting them: "I like eating fish but I don't like catching them alive — I just like them in the supermarket"
- Her dad catches a notably large grouper — his biggest of the day
- They keep fish alive longer by putting salt water in the boat
Economics of fishing
- Her father fishes 5 to 8 hours daily — equivalent to a regular job
- Average fisherman earns about 400 pesos per day (roughly $7-8 USD)
- Fish sell for 200 pesos per kilo to neighbors
- Most of the catch is eaten by the family; only surplus is sold
- Pea jokes: "Do you put rocks inside the fish so it will be heavier?" — her dad is an honest man
- Sometimes they salt the fish to preserve it or freeze it
- Her dad's biggest catch ever was a 1.5 kilogram grouper (a single fish)
Fishing permits and enforcement
- A permit is required from the Bureau of Fisheries (a government office)
- Many fishermen don't have permits, but Pea's dad does
- Ocean police patrol and check for permits
- Penalty for fishing without a permit: boat gets impounded, fish get confiscated, and a fine must be paid to get the boat back
Pea's dad's background
- Started fishing at age 15 as a "professional," but went along with his mother before that as a child
- His own father taught him how to fish
- He never takes Pea's mom fishing — Pea suspects "this is his way to get away from Mom"
The day ends when a storm rolls in
- Pea spots black clouds approaching and they decide they have enough fish for the family
- They paddle back home
- Pea's final take: fishing here is "therapeutic and frustrating at the same time"
- She emphasizes that fishing in the Philippines "is not really a hobby but a trade — something you do not for fun but to feed your family"
- Many fishermen can't afford proper fishing tools, working with the most basic hand lines
